In 2010, Asai Palacios became the first Mexican to enter Toronto as a tattoo artist. In other words, Asai managed to get Ontario to recognize his experience as a tattoo artist and allow him to migrate on this visa.

Having traveled to over 16 countries, where she has also worked, Asai is happy to call Toronto her home. Consider this city a land of opportunity.

“It’s a place of opportunity if you know how to see it. My work has potential. Here people see art as art and you can be recognized as an artist. I owe stability to Canada.

Tattoo in Montreal and Toronto. Photographs by Asai Palacios.

Proud of his Mexican roots, but with the lucidity that to stand out in the Canadian environment he had to adapt: ​​learn English, expand his circle of friends and work very hard.

Today, Asai is a renowned tattoo artist in Toronto and has his own studio. Seven eightwhich is governed by a sentence of Zen philosophy: “If I fall seven times, I get up eight”.

Asai in his studio with a client. Photographs by Asai Palacios.

“I had to learn how things work here, I don’t like to feel like an outsider. I didn’t want to be treated like a stranger, or feel any worse.”

Passionate about his work, Asai only serves one person maximum per day in order to be able to devote his full attention and talent to preserving a moment, a story, a loved one through a tattoo…

“When I tattoo, I have a responsibility. People want to share something with me, and my responsibility is to convey that image and that moment in the most authentic way.”

Asai in his studio with a client. Photographs by Asai Palacios.

His work has a strong influence from China, a country that changed his life when he met the artist Xiaodong Zhou.

Tour in China and Taiwan. Photographs by Asai Palacios.

The pandemic and the closure of her studio for eight months made Asai appreciate her family and team, who supported her moving forward.

“I thought about becoming a carpenter or a construction worker. How was I going to pay my expenses? But communication with my family, my team and the person I rent to was the key to moving forward”

Asai and his team. Photographs by Asai Palacios.

You can visit Asai’s studio, Seven Eight Tattooat 16 SOUSA MENDES STREET, UPPER LEVEL, TORONTO, ON, M6P 3Z5.

follow him on instagram Yes Facebook.

Canada is tattooed on the heart of this Mexican

Asai arrived in Canada in 2005 with only two backpacks and a briefcase.

Traveling through Vancouver and Blue Mountain. Photographs by Asai Palacios.

“I arrived on a Sunday and on Monday I started walking to school and asked: do you want to give me a job? No. You give me work and no? Until someone said to me: I can’t give you a job, but such a person can give you a job. Thursday, I was already working.

Since then, Asai has formed a very good friendship with Six, who also owns a tattoo studio in Toronto: Exotic Studios.

Asai with Six and the Exotix Studios team. Photography by Asai Palacios.

Asai moved back and forth between Toronto and Europe until 2009, when Canada decided to impose a visa on Mexicans.

“I arrived just two weeks before the visas were imposed. And when it happened, I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t go to Europe, but I couldn’t stay either and I didn’t want to go back to Mexico.”

His friend Six offered to support him, hire him in his studio and help him get his visa through a lawyer.

Asai with Six and the Exotix Studios team. Photographs by Asai Palacios.

“At the meeting, the lawyer said to me: well you don’t have a university, you left school at 17, the only thing you have is that you have traveled a lot and you ‘ve got the tattoo and that’s where we’re going to hold on.”

Asai’s request was a special case because it is not common for someone to enter Canada as a tattoo artist.

“The advantage is that I had traveled a lot and had recommendations from Portugal, China, various places. And I have also been very helped by my clients in Canada, lawyers at Hydro One, heads at Loblaws, important people, who have said that my work was worthwhile and that it was an “asset” that the Canada has me here.

Asai in the studio. Photography by Asai Palacios.

For Asai, patience was key in this process, because instead of taking two years to process her visa, it took five.

A man of two cultures

Asai now has a family in Canada, so he is already processing his Canadian citizenship.

Asai and his family. Photography by Asai Palacios.

His dream is to have a binational project and to be able to set up a studio in La Paz where he can also take care of his Canadian clients when they are on vacation.

In addition, for Asai, it is essential that their children learn Spanish and connect with their culture and their family.

“I love the way families are in Mexico. My family gave me a lot of love. There was no money, but they gave me love.”

“I grew up with a single mother and it gave me the perspective that if I can, you can.”

Asai and his family. Photographs by Asai Palacios.

bridge is a bilingual digital platform that promotes multiculturalism and inclusion in Canada. We want to foster a sense of belonging for immigrants who have made Canada their home.

With our work we aim to improve the way of life of the Latin American people among other minorities. We want to encourage their participation in Canadian society with equal opportunities and rights. We are against racism, discrimination and stereotypes. To go beyond!

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bridge is a bilingual digital platform that promotes multiculturalism and inclusion in Canada. We seek to foster among migrants a sense of belonging to the country which has become their “second home”.

Through our work, we want to improve the social conditions of members of minorities in Canada, including the Latin American community. We want to encourage the full participation of Latinos in Canadian society with equal rights, opportunities and freedoms. We fight racism, discrimination, stereotypes and prejudices. Go further!